How to Deal with Celebrities at Benefit Auctions

A-list celebrities and even local celebrities can add to the excitement of your event.  Celebrities make great emcees, but do not use them as your auctioneer.  They are not trained and do not call auctions for a living.  If you are going to have celebrities at your event try to market your event with their names in the advertisement if they are definitely booked.  This will add a whole new draw to your event.

Try to stay away from celebrity attendees coming on stage and auctioning items; simply let them come on stage to promote an item and pump up the crowd and let the auctioneer do the bid calling.  If you are going to have a celebrity as a guest speaker have the auction and fundraising first then the celebrity can speak after all the money is raised.  Remember, you are there to raise money first and entertain second.

Fundraising Seminar in Los Angeles, CA

Seminar: 10 Secrets to Guide Your Fundraising/Auction Committee in the Right Direction

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBCbGPMJXTw?rel=0]

When: Wednesday, April 17, 2013

• Morning Session: 8:30 am - 12 noon


• Afternoon Session:  1 pm - 4:30 pm

(Light refreshments will be served)

Where: 9801 Airport Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90045 (Embassy Suites LAX Hotel)


Investment:

• Register online: $67
  


• Register at the door: $97


• Additional Members: $20

(Fill out Registration Form at the bottom of this page. Limited seating available.)

Click Here to see what past attendees said about the seminar

Seminar Content:

Which Auction Items Are Hot & Which Are Not Items that are bringing in the highest yield & how to secure them Items that are not performing well Where to place auction items (Silent/Live) How to prep your attendees to maximize bidding	How to Knock Your Auction Revenue Out of the Park Why a professional auctioneer is best Beware of volunteer auctioneers Number one reason why people love auctions Auction pace & why it's important
Cutting-Edge Fundraising Techniques How to turn emotion into money Revenue enhancers How to execute the perfect Fund-A-Need Auction Ice Breakers	Professional Bid Spotters (Ringmen) Value of a professional ringman Increase your results by 10-15% Personal touch Audience control
Run of Show Develop a winning timeline Plated dinner or buffet? Learn to involve your guests in your mission Schedule do's and don'ts	Questions and Answers Ask your number one question

*Bonuses

• We will provide take away guides and checklists


• 30 minute FREE telephone consultation prior to your event
  

Who Should Attend?

• Auction Chairpersons


• Non-Profit Staff


• Auction Planners


• Board Members


• Auction Committee Members


• Volunteers


• Anyone involved in a charity auction!

Click Here to see what past attendees said about the seminar

Live Auctions vs. Silent Auctions

Most of your auction attendees have more fun with the live auction versus the silent auction at a charity event.  However, in order to sell a lot of low to mid-range valued items for a charity event in a short period of time and keep your audience captivated, a silent auction should be utilized. Charity auctions should have no more than 8-12 items or about 45 minutes max in the live auction portion.  These should only consist of your highest ticket items.  People are not attending a charity/benefit event to hear an auctioneer all night, however in order to capture their full attention for the big ticket items, a professional auctioneer is essential.  In some cases more items can be worked into the schedule, just ask your auctioneer what he or she recommends.   Silent auctions are ideal for charity events that have a strict time-frame and a lot of items to sell.  Attendees can enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres while they place silent bids on some of the lower to mid-range priced items, which can get them in the mood for the higher dollar items to be held later in the live auction. Silent auctions have their purpose during the cocktail hour, but in order to maximize the key items' values you must do a live auction as well.  Ask your fundraising consultant about some of the great techniques to maximize bidding during your silent auction because the average item brings about 60% of value.  Elite Auctions has a revenue enhancer to bring that number up to 80%!

If you are not holding a charity event and have more of a ballroom setting with many items to sell, then the most effective way is by live auction.  All-day events like prop auctions, memorabilia auctions, or any type of multi-item auction work best with a live auction event, because the silent auction format simply takes too long and does not keep the bidders' attention.